Finally A Momma, Woo!

Hi everyone! I'm tired but so excited to share my good news :) I am finally a mom now! On the 10th (my anniversary hee), we went off to the hospital (and what would have been the OB office afterward). It was there I got the news that I would end up staying there because the placenta was not working as successfully anymore and fluid was getting low. Since it was the day before my 42nd week, I would have been induced anyway by the OB had I ended up making it there.

Fast forward to Thursday...After many miso pills and mucho pitocin, I was given the option to get a C-Section since time was running out (but the baby continued to thrive just as well in the womb) or continue to try naturally. I hadn't mind any progress whatsoever, I ended up only reaching a centimeter. My mind was made up, Cesarean it would be. Fast forward again (but just a few hours this time), I headed to surgery and had my baby girl. Those three days of "labor" was totally worth it to see this bundle of life finally in my arms!

This little one's name is Aaliyah and she was 9 pounds, 2 ounces born on April 12th at 11:47pm, right before Friday the 13th LOL (bigger than both my husband and I when we were born, but his side of the family are all big/tall, so go figure!). She is the love of our lives. We can't wait to see what personality she'll have or the features that will develop (since she is a mixed little one, B/W). I'm sure my blogging will get put on hold for the time being but I had to share with you all the happiest thing to happen in my life since getting married to my hubby!

From the Hoyle Family :)

Venus & Olay Razor

**received this product complimentary to test through Influenster’s VoxBox program**

This is my second (and probably last) review for my products from the Love VoxBox program! Up next is the new razor that's hitting the shelves, the Gillette Venus & Olay 5-Blade Razor with Moisture Bars. I had ended up receiving this one before the razor (the exact same one) I had previously won from Gillette Venus' Facebook page as a freebie, so I was uber excited to try it!

The packaging is awfully chunky for a razor, but that is because not only is the "razor" already in a sealed cartridge (much like the replacements you would buy at the store) but it also comes with a cute hanger for the razor that also has one of the suction thingies on it so it sticks to the bathroom tile wall, SWEET! But despite that, the package was also hard to open before even revealing the goodies inside, BUMMER! 

Anywho, this razor ladies is absolutely fabulous! It smells divine (I wouldn't mind picking up a body wash/lotion/spray mist in this scent) and only needs water to get things lathered up and going. Even though the moisture bars smell wonderful, when wet they do tend to leave a "goo" behind. Nothing to freak out about or anything, but just an observation. The directions on the package state to change the razor when the blades become dull or when the moisture bars have gone down. I'm a bit worried I won't be able to tell in time when I'll need to change the cartridge but that's ways down the line, I'm sure. The five blades though give you an incredible, close shave. I had no problem getting all the icky, stubborn hairs taken care of, though I did nick my little toe knuckles (but that was my fault for being a bit fast and careless). 

Me and my hubby are big Gillette fans and going on with that, these razors (and their cartridges) are pricey. Because of the quality, I would pay the price though to keep using my razor rather than switching brands. If you're looking to try it though for the first time, definitely come prepared (as usual!) with a coupon so if you don't like it, you can safely say you didn't waste $10 on a stupid razor :)

To check out more about Gillette Venus, you can visit their website, www.gillettevenus.com and look below to read more about the brand and it's fabulous new product!

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For the first time ever, Gillette Venus, a global leader in female shaving, and Olay, a global leader in skincare, are coming together to deliver a gold standard in shaving with the new Gillette Venus & Olay razor. Venus’ best shaving technology works with Olay Moisture Bars, offering women best-of-both-worlds shaving and skin expertise. Olay Moisture Bars help lock-in moisture to your skin for less dryness, and with every smoothing stroke, Venus’ five blades shave you close.

Product Details

• Venus’ five-bladed razors shave you close and adjust to women’s curves for a smooth and comfortable shave, even over tricky shaving areas like knees and ankles.

• Olay Moisture Bars contain skin-enhancing elements found in Olay products: Petrolatum helps lock in skin’s moisture for less dryness and Glycerin helps offer that goddess glow! Just wet the razor to release a light lather – no separate shave cream required.

• As with most Venus razors, new Venus & Olay also features a rounded, pivoting head designed for women’s curves, and a soft-grip ergonomic handle for confident control, even in wet and soapy environment

Where to Buy

A refillable Venus & Olay with one replacement cartridge sells for approximately $8.99-$10.99. Packages of three replacement cartridges are available for about $14.99 - $19.49.

Venus & Olay will be available starting March 15, 2012 at food, drug, convenience and mass merchandise stores throughout the United States.  

Check out more about the Venus & Olay razor. 

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Kiss Nail Dress

Hi gals! First of all, I'm back after a short absence before another (long) absence! Thank you gals for the kind words in the comments of my previous blog post. I'm still pregnant (41+1 weeks now) with no sign of this one leaving anytime soon. So I'm hoping to use this precious time to get caught up on things. One of which, would be the review posts for the products I got to try for Influenster! This one is for the Kiss Nail Dress (stickers). If you're not really a fan of review posts (which is totally cool), I'll put a disclaimer at the top of the post so you can skip it and move on to a regular blog entry instead. :) On to the review!
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Needless to say, which I received these, I was HIGHLY apprehensive about trying them on. For one, it seemed like too much work and I was positive I would screw at least ONE thing up when getting them on that they would not look right. "What the heck!" I said to myself as I went on my merry way to grab my nail clippers and Rubbing Alcohol (You need the alcohol or polish remover to clean the nails before putting the nail dress on).

So I gathered my tools and carefully placed them one by one on my nails. There were times I had to peel them back off to be put on the plastic again because they were not the right size for my nail. They peel off quite easy actually, thumbs up! There is no for sure way to see which dress is the right size so it's basically eye-balling it and trial and error. I recall having to redo about 3 or 4 nails in all, not too bad :) But I do emphasize the word CAREFUL because it is way too easy to put them on too fast and create an annoying wedge in the sticker (which drove me bonkers)!

The package says they last 10 days though mine lasted about two and a half weeks. They'll last longer though if you put a coat of polish on afterwards (which I didn't have), but besides cleaning, cooking and working on the computer, I'm more than pleased with their longevity. Though I would not purchase them myself (because I'm an old fashioned gal...give me my bottle and brush!) I'll gladly sport them again if I had to. 

**I received this product complimentary for testing and reviewing from Influenster**

Here is some more information to check out about the Kiss Nail Dress (stickers/strips lol) and where to pick some up!

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Fashion That Sticks

Introducing Kiss Nail Dress, ultimate nail fashion for tips and toes! Just peel, apply, and shape for a manicure that lasts up to 10 days. On in minutes, off in seconds without remover. Nail Dress is available in 18 different styles, many of them featuring 3-dimensional jeweled designs. Check out Peplum, a deep black with multi-colored gems for a pop of color, or Babydoll, for a golden and glamorous jeweled look. Skip the topcoat, Nail Dress has it built in.

With 28 strips in each package, you can cut up your extras to create designs that can be used on top of polished or artificial nails. Nail Dress doesn’t dry out the way other polish strips can, so you can save them to use on your next DIY mani. A nail design booklet is included in each package, just in case you need a little inspiration.

And don’t forget about your feet! Nail Dress looks awesome on toes, too – just use the square side of the sticker for a perfect fit.

Where to Buy

Nail Dress’ suggested retail is $6.99 and is available in all major drug chains and mass retailers like WalMart, CVS and Walgreens.

Visit KissNailDress.com to learn more!

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An Update...Still Pregnant, Sighs

Oh my, it's been quite a few days since I've been able to sit down and write a blog post... Who knew preparing for the baby could be so tiring :( I'm currently 3 days overdue with no signs of labor so I've been having to attend various appointments to see how the baby is doing. She is a stubborn little kiddo and I have a good idea who she gets it from :)

But it's been great to have some energy to clean the apartment (and have it stay clean too!) and get some projects worked on as well. It's a rainy and windy day so it looks like it will be a quiet afternoon (well morning...it's barely 10:30). But with everything being so hectic and crazy, I've only the energy to throw up an update instead of a regular topic. Maybe later this afternoon I've be back up and running (for the time being anyway!)

Strike TWO!

Ay...How did I spend my Saturday morning yesterday? In the hospital for what I sure to be it, the BIG moment I would finally see my little bundle of joy for the first time and not just a little monster in my belly (thanks hubby!). I had been up since 3:45am because I was 98% positive my water broke, so I got dressed and waited for my ride to the hospital (since I live about 10 minutes away from there). After being all hooked up and tested in my uncomfortable bed, the sweet nurse had to give me the harsh, harsh news that my tests were negative and I hadn't lost my waters yet and am still very much closed up.

"I basically peed on myself for nothing" I exclaimed to my hubby as we walked to the parking lot. Talk about majorly disappointed :( This is the second false alarm that has sent me off to the hospital but I'm hoping the next time I end up going, it WILL be the real thing! I'm a FTM and due in just 3 days, though I do wish she would come on! My mother has warned me not to wish for such a thing because as she put it, it will end up being 10x worse then the pain I had that sent me to ER to had my gallbladder taken out for stones (which, if you have not experienced, is utterly painful!). Sighs... is it wrong of me to just be too excited and anxious to start my journey as a mother?

Shoed-In... AWESOMENESS!!

So as I sit here enjoying a quiet overcast morning, I just have to tell you about this fabulous magazine called "Shoed-In" and OMG are they awesome! I came across their blog yesterday afternoon after reading that they were going to be hosting a twitter party to celebrate the release (both in-print/digital which you can buy BTW) of their new magazine, I had to join in! It was BY FAR the best twitter party I've ever been to; nice and cozy... chatting with fellow shoe-loving gals and sharing insights and pictures of our favs that we currently own or digging at the moment. No one struggling to "vie for the camera" as you would say and excellent interaction with Shoed-In Mag the whole time! Not to mention I was blessed enough to have won a pair of shoes from Eric Rutberg's TRANSPARENT line (featured on the cover) at the end of the party! I'm still on cloud nine from that one ladies.

This is a picture of the front page of their debut magazine (I hope they don't mind!). If you wanna pick up your copy, I've linked the image for you!

I bought my digital copy last night and was impressed and pleased with the articles :) As brought out during the party, the magazine delves into more of the hard-work it takes to design shoes but to also expose you to many new fashions & looks (for every price range too, gotta love that!) and the designers themselves! Please, please check them out when you have the chance, you WILL NOT be disappointed! Here are some linkies for you to clicky to learn more about them and to follow up with Shoed-In on their social networks:

http://www.shoed-in.com 

https://twitter.com/#!/shoed_in_com

http://www.facebook.com/shoedin

 

Happy Friday, Yippee!

Ghirardelli Milk & Truffle Squares: My Review

Ghirardelli sqaures...yummy! I live in Sacramento, about an hour & a half drive to San Francisco where the Ghirardelli company is located (actually, they are right near the ocean at the end of the pier, very beautiful!). I have fond memories of carousing Ghirardelli Square (very popular tourist attraction, it reminds me of the Wonka factory) on our honeymoon since we chose San Fran as our destination for our wedding night :) Our anniversary is April 10th so there was plenty of clearance Easter candy for the taking to munch on for the trip home. So, with that in mind, I was excited to be able to try their Milk and Truffle sweets courtesy of Shespeaks.

First of all, the actual squares in the inside look nothing like the package, of course. The truffle middle is not gooey like it would appear...but tasty nonetheless. It looks like a regular milk chocolate square with a darker chocolate layer in the middle. It is definitely richer than some of their other squares (Milk and Caramel being my favorite). Nice thing though is that these have a higher melting point than other Ghirardelli flavors because I'm not a huge fan of constantly having to lick my fingers to avoid making a mess. The package had one bag, a flyer and two coupons. I'm not a big fan of rich chocolates; it takes me much longer to eat them. These though, I went through about 3 squares right after opening the bag (oh, and one for the hubby as well).

Would I go out and buy another bag after this one? Hmmm.... Probably no. Though I was pleasantly surprised with these squares, I still do prefer my Godiva truffles instead (though in a way, it's difficult to make a fair comparison between the two). If I was gifted a bag, now that would be a different story; I mean what girl (a VERY pregnant girl at that) would turn down free chocolate? Though I will say if there is a sale and I could get these pretty cheap, then maybe I may buy them, maybe. So, if you're adventurous, give them a try. Otherwise, I'd skip these and move on to another variety of Ghirardelli chocolates.

If you've never heard of Ghirardelli or don't know much about them, you can read up on them here on their website, http://ghirardelli.com/about/ and to check out SheSpeaks, you can head here http://www.shespeaks.com

Thanks for reading my review!